Casting metal.



No. 657,070. Patented Aug. 28, I900.

W. J. PATTERSON.

CASTING METAL.

[Application filed July 31, 1899.) (No Model.)

LII-l LIL-l m: NORRI5 Farms co. PNOTQJJTHG, WASHYNGYON. u c.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFTQEQ \VILLIAM J. PATTERSON, OF PITTSBURG,PENNSYLVANIA.

CASTING METAL.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 657,070, datedAugust 28, 1900. Application filed July 31, 1899- Serial No. 725,605.(No specimens.)

T0 coZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. PATTERSON, a resident of Pittsburg, inthe county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Casting Metals; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to the casting of metal, and directly, though notexclusively, to the casting of pig metal, the invention relating to thesame general class as Letters Patent No. 583,42el, granted to A. M.Acklin May 25, 1897. That patent provided for the casting of the moltenmetal in an endless connected series of traveling molds, the metal beingthen carried in the molds for a certain distance while the molds werepartially submerged in a body of water, and the molds being then carrieddown into the body of water being completely submerged therein, so thatthe water flowed over the metal contained in the molds to cool and setsuch metal.

The object of the present invention is to provide for the proper coolingof the metal in a machine of that general character and with out thenecessity of entirely submerging the molds Within the body of water.

It consists, generally stated, in pouring the metal into an endlessconnected series of traveling molds and first cooling such metal bypartially submerging the molds in water, and after the metal issufficiently set for direct contact with water further cooling the sameby spraying water upon the metal when in the molds, it being preferredthat during a portion of such spraying action the molds shall still bepartially submerged in the water.

It also consists in certain other improvements, which will behereinafter fully described and claimed.

To enable others skilled in the art to employ my invention, I willdescribe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, inwhich-+ Figure 1 is a side view, partly broken away, illustrating theapparatus employed in practicing the invention; and Fig. 2is a top planview of the same.

v Like letters indicate like parts in each of the figures.

In practicing the invention I may employ any suitable apparatus, such asthe apparatus referred to in said Acklin patent, No. 583,424, exceptthat it is constructed to carry the molds through the tank or body ofwater without entirely submerging the molds-that is, car rying saidmolds when partially submerged for the full length of the tank. I willdescribe the preferred form of apparatus, such as illustrated in thedrawings.

The framework of the apparatus may be of any suitable construction,being illustrated as consistingof the standards a,connected bya seriesof cross-bars b and braced in any suitable Way, and having extending fora considerable portion of its length the tank 0, while at the receivingend, beyond said tank, is the sprocket d, and beyond the tank, towardthe delivery end, is the inclined trackway (2, at. the upper end ofwhich is the sprocket f, which is driven from any desired source ofpower through suitable gearing f.

The machine is provided with suitable track g, which extends from thereceiving end down into the tank, extending on such level within thetank that the molds are partially submerged therein-that is, submergedto such height that the water cannot flow over the tops of the molds,and thus be brought into direct contact with the molten metal-the trackthen extending at the incline up over the inclined trackway c to thesprocket-wheel f and below said sprocket, the return-tracks h hextending back to the sprocket-wheel d, a gap being preferably leftbetween these tracks h h to provide for expansion and contraction of theseries of traveling molds 7c. The series of traveling molds k arepreferably formed of Wrought plate metal and are connected together andmounted on these tracks in any suitable way, so that the molds will bepartially submerged in the water in the tank, as above stated.

Back of the tank 0 and in line with the inclined trackway e and in factforming part of the same is the inclined trough Z, which eX tends downfrom the delivery end of the machine to the tank a, so as to deliver anywater from the spraying of the molds into said tank. Extending over thistrough and preferably over a good portion of the tank 0 are thespray-pipes m, which, as shown in Fig. 2, are adapted to spray the moldsin the latter part of their course through the tank 0 and in theircourse up the inclined trackway 6, so providing for the cooling of themolds in large part by such water spray. The water from the spraying ofthe molds will of course pass down into the trough 7c and run thenceinto the tank a and may be utilized in said tank for the cooling of themetal in the molds. At the receiving end of the apparatus is providedthe metal-pouring trough n, into which the metal is poured from thetraveling ladle p, transporting the same from the furnace, the troughproviding for the pouring of a continuous controllable stream into thetraveling molds k.

In practicing the invention the metal is poured in a continuouscontrollable stream from the ladle p and trough it into the molds asthey travel at regular speed under the trough. As the molds receive themolten metal they pass into. the tank a, the molds being partially,butnot altogethergsubmerged therein, so that the only cooling action of thewater in the tank itself acts through the. thin walls of thewrought-metal molds, such cooling action taking place for the entirelength of the tank. When the metal first enters the 1 molds, its heat isso high that the water coming in contact with the unset top face there.-of causes the metal to boil and honeycombs such top face, and suchhoneycomb is liable to break off in the subsequent handling of the pig.The molds are therefore. carried within the tank, while the metal isprotected from contact. with water until the metal is sufficiently setto be brought into contact with the water. They may be carried to thefull length of the tank in this, way without being sprayed, or thespraying action may take place during a part of the cooling action inthe tank. The water spray falling upon the metal when at acomparatively-high heat will of course generate steam; but as a spray isused free escape is provided for the steam, and the metal in the moldsis cooled quickly by the repeated fresh contacting of the water droppingfrom the spray-pipes into. direct, contact with the metal and a rapidcooling thereof is eifected, this action being continued up the inclinedtrackway e, so that by the time the molds reach the upper end thereofthe pigs are set and cold and ready to be discharged from the molds intoa chute 0,

which guides them to the car or such other receptacle as may be employedto receive them. The water from the spray-pipes over the inclinedtrackway is caught in the inclined trough k, which directs it down intothe tank, the water from the spray-pipes. maintaining the supply fdr thetank, which has overflows at suitable points, as at r r, for maintainingthe proper water-level, one such overflow being placed at the receivingend of the tank, so asto carry sufficient wa-.

ter to. that end for cooling the. pig when first cast and one. or moreoverflows between the being overcome.

ends being arranged to carry off the excess of water from thespray-pipesr The water from the pipes extending over the tank is ofcourse caught in the tank itself. In this way I am enabled to cool themetal rapidly, first by water-cooling when it is protected from directcontact with Water and then by water-cooling both by contact of themoldbodies with the water and by direct contact of water with the metalitself through the repeated fresh contacting of the water from thespray-pipes therewith, the necessity for entirely submerging the moldswithin the tank I am also enabled to get repeated contact of cold waterwith the metal itself and at the same time provide free escape for thesteam generated by the hot metal, so obtaining the best conditions forcooling practicable. I also utilize the water to advantage by continuingthe spraying after the molds pass from the tank and utilizing the waterfor subsequent cooling purposes.

No claim is made in this application for the apparatus above described,as the same is embodied in a separate application filed October 16.,1899, Serial No. 733,764.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-- 1. The herein-described method of casting metals which consists inpouring the metal into an endless connected series of traveling molds,partially submerging the loaded molds in a body of water and at the sametime keeping the contents of the molds out of contact with water untilthe metal is sufficiently set,

and subsequently spraying the metal with water while it is stillcontained Within the molds. 2. The herein-described method of castingmetals which consists in pouring the metal into an endless connectedseries of traveling molds, partially submerging the loaded molds in abody of water and at the same time keeping the contents of the molds outof contact with water until the metal is sufficiently set,

and subsequently spraying the metal with water when the molds are sopartially submerged.

3. The herein-described method of casting metals which consists inpouring the metal into an endless connected series of traveling molds,partially submerging the loaded molds in a body of water and at the sametime keeping the contents of the molds out of contact with water untilthe metal is sufficiently set, subsequently spraying the metal withwater while the molds are partially submerged, drawing the molds fromthe body of water and continuing the spraying of the metal therein.

In testimony whereof I, the said WILLIAM J. PATTERSON, have hereunto.set my hand.

WILLIAM J. PATTERSON.

Witnesses:

JAMES I. KAY,- ROBERT C. To'rTEN.

